Where’s Maia? A trip to Auckland and Bay of Plenty

Published on Fri Dec 13 2019 in Community

Every year, over 550 major heart surgeries are carried out on Kiwi kids with childhood heart defects (CHDs). Being born or developing a “broken” heart at such a young age is tough on children and their families, too. Luckily, these brave littlies have a friend in Heart Kids—the only NZ charity dedicated to providing lifelong care and support for children and families living with CHDs.

New Zealand heart kids also have two other friends by their side—Momentum Life and Maia Bear! Here at Momentum Life, we donate a portion of all first-year premiums to Heart Kids. We also raise money and awareness throughout the year, giving these brave hearts even more love.

And then there’s Maia—a cuddly little bear given to every heart kid before their first open-heart surgery. We received our very own Maia Bear as a thank you for supporting all that Heart Kids does.

Of course, our Maia doesn’t like to sit around our offices all day. She likes to get out and help spread the word about CHDs and Heart Kids!

Recently, Maia visited a few spots on the North Island and had a bear-y fun time!

Auckland War Memorial Museum

Maia spent a day out in Auckland, visiting the Auckland War Memorial Museum, which sits inside the Auckland Domain.

First up, Maia spent some time in the Māori galleries learning more about New Zealand’s earliest history. She especially loved the carvings inside Hotunui meeting house and Te Toki ā Tāpiri, the giant war canoe. Next Maia headed to level two, where she viewed the Spitfire and Zero aircraft from World War Two.

Finally, Maia visited the Court of Honour outside the museum. She enjoyed viewing the famous Cenotaph and water feature, which both commemorate Kiwi soldiers who lost their lives in battle.

 

Tauranga

After the hustle and bustle of Auckland, Maia needed to relax! Her next stop was the seaside city of Tauranga for a bit of relaxation.

Tauranga’s most famous landmark is probably Mount Maunganui (or as the locals call it, “The Mount”). This spot is considered tapu by the local Māori community and is a big part of their folklore. The small mountain is what’s known as a volcanic cone, a formation created when rock, ash and magma erupt from the earth’s crust. But not to worry—Mount Maunganui is extinct and likely won’t erupt ever again! 

Maia took a leisurely walk along The Mall, taking in the beautiful harbour and spending the afternoon relaxing on Pilot Bay Beach.

 

Hobbiton

Are you a fan of The Lord of the Rings series? Maia sure is! Her last stop was visiting the Hobbiton movie set just outside Matamata.

Hobbiton is located on the Alexander Farm, a 1,250-acre sheep farm that’s still running. The original movie set was built in 1999 to film the first Lord of the Rings films. Those sets were temporary, but when Sir Peter Jackson returned to make The Hobbit trilogy, he left behind the permanent set you can visit today.

Maia had a blast exploring the 44 Hobbit Holes, including Bag End—the famous home of Bilbo Baggins! She also got to see the “Party Tree”, The Green Dragon inn and other spots made famous by J.R.R. Tolkien and the movies.

 

Where’s Maia?

This was another exciting trip for Maia, and we hope you enjoyed reading all about! To keep up with all her travels, be sure to like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram. You never know where Maia will pop up next as she spreads the word about Heart Kids!

Learn more about how Momentum Life is supporting Heart Kids across New Zealand.

 

About Author: Momentum Life is a leading provider of Life insurance and Funeral insurance in New Zealand.

 

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